Two Arrested for Road Blockade Demanding 20% Bonus for Tea Garden Workers

EOI, Darjeeling, Oct 30 – The Jorebunglow police arrested Sumit Dewan and Prasit Rai from Margaret’s Hope Tea Garden in the Kurseong sub-division on Tuesday night. They were produced in the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court on Wednesday in connection with a road blockade demanding a 20% bonus for tea garden workers in the Hills.

“The two have been arrested on charges of road blockade. On September 29, they had blocked the road on NH-110 at Sonada concerning the issue of puja bonus. The police initiated a suo-moto case under Section 185 and 285, read with Section 8B of the National Highway Act,” said Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Pankaj Prasad.

The APP noted that several local residents and tourists were stranded due to the blockade, causing many to miss their flights and trains. An ambulance was also caught in the road blockade. The two arrested individuals were identified from various pieces of evidence and video footage.

After four rounds of negotiations and an advisory issued by the state government, the puja bonus for tea garden workers was fixed at 16%. However, trade unions affiliated with different political organizations remained adamant about securing a 20% bonus.

“There was a demand for a 20% bonus, which was later fixed at 16% through an advisory from the Labour Department. The workers were paid the advised bonus amount directly to their bank accounts by the management. However, during the Diwali festival, the duo planned to conduct a road blockade to further their agitation for the remaining 4% puja bonus. After receiving information about this, the two were arrested and presented in the CJM court,” Prasad added. Their bail application was rejected, and they were granted three days of police remand to identify others involved in the blockade.

On the other hand, the Hamro Party trade union, the Hamro Hill Terai Dooars Chiyabari Sramik Sangh (HHTDCSS), has condemned the arrests. In a press release, HHTDCSS president D.K. Gurung stated, “The workers have the right to protest against unfair treatment. The arrests have sparked discussions about the need for fair treatment and to open dialogue between management and workers.” The press release also called for the immediate release of the arrested individuals and urged management to address the legitimate concerns of the workers.

Earlier, various trade unions, under the banner of the Parwatiya Shramik Sangathan Samavaya Manch, enforced a 12-hour bandh in the Hills, followed by a massive show of strength rally.